Baselland Business 2/2023 English
Business guide for the Basel-Landschaft region in German and English
Business guide for the Basel-Landschaft region in German and English
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Whether as a founding partner of<br />
the "Swiss Innovation Challenge"<br />
or with its "100 fürs Baselbiet"<br />
initiative: BLKB promotes innovation<br />
in Basel-Land - soon also<br />
with a competence center for<br />
corporate customers in Allschwil.<br />
Why does BLKB promote<br />
innovation?<br />
Beat Röthlisberger: According to<br />
the Cantonal Bank Act, we have the<br />
mandate to contribute to the balanced<br />
economic and social development<br />
of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft<br />
and the region of<br />
Northwestern Switzerland. We want<br />
to act as an innovation driver and<br />
improve the conditions so that<br />
promising and innovative business<br />
ideas can be developed and implemented.<br />
«100 fürs<br />
Baselbiet»<br />
«100 fürs Baselbiet» is<br />
an initiative of BLKB,<br />
the University of<br />
Applied Sciences Northwestern<br />
Switzerland<br />
FHNW and the Standortförderung<br />
(site promotion)<br />
<strong>Baselland</strong>. Since<br />
the beginning of 2020,<br />
it has been supporting<br />
innovative SMEs and<br />
startups with a connection<br />
to Baselbiet.<br />
Currently, 36 companies<br />
are being supported<br />
with a total amount of<br />
13.9 million Swiss<br />
francs and consulting<br />
services. During the<br />
application process,<br />
the business idea and<br />
financial plan are<br />
first examined. This is<br />
followed by a pitch to<br />
the Advisory Board. It<br />
consists of well-known<br />
company personalities.<br />
www.blkb.ch/100fuersbb<br />
Hannes Caj: Our innovation<br />
promotion is based on several<br />
initiatives that are interlinked and<br />
that we are constantly optimizing.<br />
The first was the launch of the<br />
"Swiss Innovation Challenge" in<br />
2014 together with the University of<br />
Applied Sciences Northwestern<br />
Switzerland FHNW and the <strong>Baselland</strong><br />
Economic Chamber. This gave<br />
rise to the "100 fürs Baselbiet" credit<br />
program at the beginning of 2020<br />
(see box), which we have since been<br />
able to develop into a program for<br />
regional participation.<br />
How is BLKB involved in the<br />
"Swiss Innovation Challenge"?<br />
Röthlisberger: We are the main<br />
sponsor and contribute the expertise<br />
of our client advisors. In addition,<br />
as a member of the Steering Committee,<br />
I am able to help shape the<br />
event. I am always impressed by the<br />
business ideas and passion of the<br />
candidates. Last year, for example, I<br />
was impressed by the third-place<br />
winner, the medtech start-up<br />
Spirecut. It develops and sells highly<br />
complex instruments for hand<br />
surgery.<br />
Caj: Spirecut recently became part<br />
of the "100 fürs Baselbiet" initiative.<br />
Not least because of this, the startup<br />
moved its headquarters from<br />
Fribourg to Muttenz at the beginning<br />
of the year.<br />
What is the difference between<br />
"Swiss Innovation Challenge" and<br />
"100 fürs Baselbiet"?<br />
Röthlisberger: The "Swiss Innovation<br />
Challenge" gives us direct<br />
access to innovative companies that<br />
we want to attract to the region or<br />
keep in the region with "100 fürs<br />
Baselbiet". To this end, BLKB provides,<br />
among other things, venture<br />
capital for innovative projects that<br />
find it difficult to obtain financing<br />
through the usual channels - without<br />
diluting its capital too much in<br />
the process.<br />
Recently, BLKB has even expanded<br />
its financial commitment.<br />
The keyword "equity investments"<br />
was mentioned just now.<br />
Caj: Thanks to a conversion option<br />
in the BLKB loan, promising SMEs<br />
and start-ups have been able to<br />
convert their loan into equity<br />
financing from BLKB since this year.<br />
They benefit from this twice: the<br />
financing does not have to be repaid,<br />
and BLKB's credibility as a co-shareholder<br />
helps in negotiations with<br />
customers and investors.<br />
"100 fürs Baselbiet" wants to<br />
enable 100 Baselbiet-related<br />
companies to take a decisive step<br />
in their further development. Is<br />
the initiative on track?<br />
Röthlisberger: Absolutely. In the<br />
target group, it has developed into<br />
an important pillar of innovation in<br />
the region of northwestern Switzerland.<br />
Since its launch, over 300<br />
companies have applied, and 36 are<br />
now part of the initiative. In the<br />
future, they will benefit from even<br />
more intensive support.<br />
In what way?<br />
Caj: The next step in our innovation<br />
support is the opening of a competence<br />
center for startups and corporate<br />
customers in the Alba House in<br />
the new BaseLink site in Allschwil.<br />
This will bring us even closer to the<br />
companies and enable us to provide<br />
them with optimum support in their<br />
further development. The move-in is<br />
planned for the first quarter of 2024.<br />
<strong>Baselland</strong> <strong>Business</strong> 33